While the summer break might mean long, leisurely days at home or camp for students, it means something quite different for a school’s IT Team. Depending on the school and its policies, the break presents a window of time to collect, inventory, clean and update devices, as well as assess and plan for the next school year.
Below, we outline some of the common action items IT teams prepare to tackle as the summer break approaches.
Decide whether devices will be returned to school or go home with students
The question of whether districts should allow devices to stay with students over summer break is a controversial one. Proponents argue that allowing students to keep devices offers an opportunity for learning to continue over the summer months. Others, though, might view a summer take home device program as a logistical nightmare that increases the risk of devices being damaged or lost.
Inventorying and inspecting
If your school does collect all school-owned devices at the end of the year, IT departments may commiserate with school librarians– you both spend a significant portion time attempting to track down and wrangle missing (and overdue) items.
Once the devices are collected, they can be inventoried and inspected for damage.
Cleaning devices and identifying devices that are damaged or in need of repair
As students and teachers return their devices, your IT team will be looking for devices that have incurred damage over the school year. Devices will also need to be cleaned– for instance, laptop vents need to be dusted to prevent overheating, and
Consider whether it’s time to retire aging devices
As you assess devices that are damaged, some will likely be at or near the end of their lifecycle. These devices will need to be recycled, and, depending on your school’s needs, replaced.
Coordinate repairs for damaged devices
It’s likely that your team will identify many devices that need repair. Your IT team will want to coordinate the repair of these devices so that they’ll be ready for the new school year
Software and security updates
The summer break presents an ideal opportunity for IT teams to perform software updates with minimal disruptions to students or staff. Security updates and device refreshes can also take place during this time.
Arrange training for staff and students (if necessary)
Is your school introducing new technology to teachers and students? If so, you’ll likely need to schedule training sessions to familiarize staff to new devices.
Reconsider your school’s device insurance
Once your device inventory is complete and you’ve identified which need to be repaired or replaced, it’s an ideal time to decide whether your current device warranty or insurance coverage is adequate. Standard factory warranties for tech devices often don’t provide the coverage schools need, particularly as devices begin to age.
Consider scheduling a JonesCare Needs Assessment. We’ll take an in-depth look at your district’s needs, budget and assess the lifecycle stages of your district’s devices. Then, we’ll work with you to customize a protection plan that’s tailored to your district’s unique needs. Our goal with JonesCare is to provide a seamless experience with minimal disruption to students and staff when devices need to be repaired or replaced.
Reach out today to book a JonesCare Needs Assessment.